


T-Minus

by WritersWhim



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Just let Shiro go home, Some angst, some violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-03
Updated: 2017-11-30
Packaged: 2019-01-29 00:26:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12618976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritersWhim/pseuds/WritersWhim
Summary: It had only been a year. One year. But one year can change a person. Shiro desperately wants this whole ordeal to be nothing more than a nightmare. But each day seems to drag on with worsening terrors. Shiro must fight to stay alive and to protect his friends, but the Galra are intent on making him suffer as much as possible.





	1. One Month

“Please! We come from a peaceful planet. W-we mean you no harm! We’re unarmed- augh!” The strange creature hit Shiro in the back of the head, knocking him out. The next thing he could remember was being dragged down a hall where prisoners were murmuring and seeing a massive room filled with nothing but prison cells. The last thing he remembered was being viciously tossed into a cell and passing out.

Shiro woke up to his door being opened. He looked up, frightened. Some food was tossed his way. He waited for the door to close again before meekly scrounging at the food. His head told him to be wary, but his stomach didn’t care. He wasn’t sure how long he had been out. Minutes? Hours? Days? As Shiro looked down at the food, he caught a glimpse of his arms. Where had his space suit gone? He was dressed in rags of purple. Slave clothing.

Slave clothing!? Shiro looked around in a panic. In his cell was a small bed. He hoped the thing he saw next to the bed was a toilet of some sort. He turned towards the door and peered out the small window. Drones marched down the hall, guarding the prisoners and ensuring that none escaped. As Shiro looked out the tiny cell window, he noticed another prisoner being taken to a cell. He presumed it was a woman. She wore some kind of collar around her neck. Her hands were cuffed together and a drone held a chain connected to the cuff. Her eyes were closed as she passed they walked towards his door, and as they passed by, she opened them slightly. Her eyes glowed with a pale yellow light. The light initially frightened Shiro, but the sadness that was laced within them tore at his heart. She and the drones passed by the door, leaving nothing but the echo of footsteps in their trail. 

Shiro turned around and pressed his back against the door. He clenched his fists and shit his eyes and bit the inside of his lip. He knew he had to get out. The sadness in the eyes of the prisoner that had passed by his cell told him that there was nothing good to come of staying here.

~~~

Every day was even more terrible than the last. Shiro’s body adamantly denied whatever food mush he was being served. The guards on duty were less than pleased with the clean up after every meal. It had gotten to the point where he was tossed into a larger cell with others that also had trouble with the meals. Shiro’s only respite was that Matt Holt was also in the cell.

“How have you been holding up?”

Matt fiddled with the edge of his shirt. “About as well as one can, given the circumstances. At the very least, our situation could definitely be worse, right?” Matt gave a nervous chuckle.

Shiro raised a brow. “Matt, how could it be worse? We’re being held prisoner on an alien warship, not to mention that whatever we’re being served is being rejected by our bodies and we’ve been tossed into a cell with others who can’t stomach the mush.”

Matt looked away from Shiro, continually fiddling with the edge of his torn shirt. “You haven’t heard yet, have you?” When Shiro didn’t respond, Matt continued. “Aside from keeping us vomiters all in one area, we’re going to be used as fresh meat for the gladiator ring.”

“What…?”

Matt nodded slowly. He didn’t really believe it himself at first, but telling it to Shiro made the reality sink in. “I overheard some guards as they were passing. They were moving other prisoners around and taunting them, saying things like, ‘You should be honoured to fight in the gladiator ring’ and “Even if you do survive the ring, there’s no telling if you’ll survive what comes after’-and then they laughed!”

Shiro chuckled as Matt reenacted they laugh of the guards. Shiro ruffled Matt’s hair in an attempt to calm him. “I wouldn’t worry too much. They were probably just trying to psych out the prisoners heading there.”

“What the small one says is true.” Matt and Shiro whirled around. “There is a gladiator ring where prisoners are taken to fight beasts to the death.” The voice was wispy, like a soft breeze fluttering over the sea. Though the voice seemed harmless, it still sent chills up Shiro’s spine. “My child was sent to the ring before me. My child has not returned.”

Shiro clenched his jaw. He could hear Matt shuffle uncomfortably. He placed a hand on Matt’s back to soothe him only to no avail. “Are you sure your child wasn’t taken to another cell?”

The alien shook its head. “After my child was taken to the ring, I have felt as if a part of me is missing. There is a hole in me. A hole where my child was. A hole that can never be filled.”

“I-I’m sorry for your loss…” Shiro wasn’t exactly sure what to say. The alien didn’t respond, and the longer the silence went on, the more awkward it got. Several other aliens that were in the shared cell shuffled away, hoping to escape the strange aura that suddenly filled the air.

At last, the alien spoke. “My child volunteered to take my place in the gladiator ring. I do not know what my child was thinking. My child merely bought me time. I do not know what my child was thinking I could do with this borrowed time.”

“Perhaps your child thought you would be able to escape?” Shiro looked up at the wispy sounding alien. From the looks of it, the alien had been here for quite some time. It looked like a shell, a shell that was dull and had been abandoned. Shiro glanced down. This alien was living on borrowed time, but it seemed as if that time was soon going to be cut short.

The door to the cell was flung open. A guard stood in the way, leaning against the door frame. “There is no escape from the Galra Empire.” The guard smirked. “Now, let’s see which of this fresh meat if good enough to be honourably selected for the gladiator ring.”

The tone of the guard’s voice told Shiro that there was no honourable selection for the prisoners. Only death awaited them.


	2. Two Months

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two months have passed. Two months, but it feels so much longer.

_“Take care of your father.”_

Shiro had no regrets about wounding Matt if it meant he got a second chance. However, Shiro hadn’t planned on becoming the first to enter the gladiator ring. Perhaps his plan worked a bit too well.

Shiro stood with his back to a pillar, hiding from the monstrosity that was flinging a strange orb at him in an attempt to kill him. He had figured out that he needed to strike while the orb was charging or else the orb could be flung and hit Shiro from any direction. He could hear the blood pumping through his ears. He had one task, and that was to defeat the opponent before him. He’d have to deal with whatever came after the gladiator ring when it came. Now his only focus was on surviving. He took a deep breath in before launching himself at his opponent.

His opponent smirked when Shiro came out. The monster reared the staff that held the orb, charging it. Shiro knew he had to go for broke, just in case his opponent had some nasty trick up its sleeve. Shiro thrust his sword into the one place he knew for sure would end the fight as well as the monster: the neck. Well, as close to what Shiro presumed the neck was on the monster. At the very least, it would be out of commision for some time.

Shiro’s blow struck its target, and the monster collapsed. Shiro followed suit moments after, panting heavily. He could feel sweat trickle down his forehead and seep into his clothes. Something warm and sticky also trickled down his face. He reached up and cautiously touched it. Blood. Well, shit. He placed his hand down back at his side. His energy was completely drained, and he could slowly feel himself drifting off to sleep.

Shiro woke up to his back hitting a cell wall with the sounds of guards gruffly speaking to someone about fixing him up before slamming the cell door shut. The cell was dimly lit and two smaller lights hovered above him. Wait… those weren’t lights. They were eyes.

Shiro quickly sat up only to find himself knocked back on the floor. He held his head, now threatening to give him a bruise on his forehead.

“Urk-Please, warn me before you sit up next time.” The voice was strained. Shiro mumbled an apology and laid back down again. “Hold still, you have some bad nicks on you. Not to mention the other blemishes that that bastard decided to give you.” 

Shiro blinked slowly. In his panic, he hadn’t realized that his vision was blurry. He moved to rub his eyes, but a gentle hand kept him from moving. The person with him dabbed at his wound across his face, cleaning off the dried blood. Shiro groaned at the feeling. It stung every time the rag touched his wound. The person mumbled a soft apology. He shook his head, signifying that they had done nothing wrong.

The cell fell silent and still. Shiro was convinced the person had mysteriously vanished and was about to roll over to attempt to sleep when he felt a warm sensation travel through his arm. A dim glow radiated from the hands of the other person with him. Shiro’s mind began to freak out, but his body felt heavy and refused to move from his position on the floor.

“Do not fret, I am simply using magic to heal you.” The person whispered. 

Magic? Magic was real? Shiro closed his eyes. This feeling traversing through him. It was warm. Not just simply warm, but as if all the good warm things had decided to fill him. The warm feeling of curling under a blanket on a cold night, freshly baked cookies with gooey chocolate chips, the feeling of an embrace from a lover, the feel of hot chocolate running down his you throat and the smell of a crackling fireplace while surrounded by friend’s roasting marshmallows and making s’mores during a snowstorm… Was this what magic was? Shiro had always pictured magic as a volatile force. It brought death and destruction and left those who survived its wrath a wreck. Though he did suppose that not all magic was bad. Just like people, and aliens, he hoped, there had to be good out there too.

The warm feeling slowly left Shiro, and he groaned in protest. “I am sorry,” the person murmured. “My magic reserves are low. I am afraid I have done as much as I can for you for now.” The person sighed. “Though, do not be afraid of calling for a healer. Despite how the Galra act, they like to keep their possessions in the best shape possible.”

Shiro sat up. “Thank you. You didn’t have to waste the rest of your magic on me.” He clambered around in the dim lighting of the cell. He soon gave up and looked at the softly glowing eyes before him. He heard movement, and from the way it sounded and how the eyes momentarily disappeared, he presumed the other person was shaking their head.

“There is no such thing as a waste of magic. Not when there are many here who need to be treated for their wounds. Now,” the person shifted to stand up and walked over to the cell door. Shiro could hear the marching footsteps of guards not far away. “You should get some rest. What magic is left coursing through your system should help you heal. It should also help you stomach the food you are given.” Even though the person couldn’t see, Shiro quirked an eyebrow. How did they know about that? The cell door slid open and Shiro quietly gasped. 

He’d seen those eyes before. They were from the girl that passed by his cell when he was first captured. He watched silently as the guards placed cuffs around her wrist and lead her away with a chain. The door slid shut behind them, leaving Shiro alone in the dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two is here! Whoo! Poor Matt getting sent off alone in this world and Shiro's just a mess. At least he still has all his limbs, right?
> 
> [Art for this fic](https://xblackpaladin.tumblr.com/post/167081284055/t-minus-fanfic-by-dakurairakku-for) was done by the amazing [Arka.](https://xblackpaladin.tumblr.com/)


	3. Three Months

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The nightmare continues. It's been three months, and Shiro is hoping that he'll soon wake up. At the very least, this strange person seems friendly.

Shiro had been transferred to another cell after a couple fights in the gladiator ring. He laid on a slab of metal that he presumed was a bed. Shiro had closed his eyes after a long fight, no longer caring about the blood on him from his scratches or how painful the bruises were. He just wanted to sleep, and hopefully, when he woke up, he would wake up in his own bed after having a terrible nightmare. Shiro hoped that’s what would happen, but he knew that his hope was in vain.

His cell door slid open. Chains clinked together and then fell away. Someone stepped in and slide the cell door shut behind them. Shiro groaned and stretched-an action her immediately regretted and his muscles were sore beyond imagination-and then sat up, rubbing his eyes.

“You need not sit up. If it is more comfortable for you to lay down, then lay down.” Shiro nodded at the person’s words and laid back down. He draped an arm over his eyes to block out the lights overhead. They hadn’t bothered him before, but now that his company had come by, the lights gave him a migraine. He suddenly couldn’t wait for the quiet hours of the supposed “night” when the lights were turned out in the cells and the halls were quiet except for the sound of drones patrolling.

Shiro’s arm was gently lifted and placed next to him. He blinked his eyes open, clearing the fuzziness of exhaustion from his vision. He turned his head to see who was working on him this time. To his surprise, it was the same person as before. He’d come to recognize those eyes. The pale light emanating from them reminded Shiro of the early morning rays of sunshine. Blinking again, he noted that her hair was the color of darkened orchids and her skin a soft sky blue. When she leaned over him to inspect the scar across his face, he noticed a dusting of freckles across her nose and slightly pointed ears. Shiro had half the mind to ask if she some sort of alien moon elf in the haze of sleep. 

“Liara, if you were wondering. It seems that I have all been but assigned to heal you.” Shiro absently nodded as he felt the warm healing magic spread through him. “I have more magic this time, so hopefully I should be able to fully heal you. I am sorry about your scar, I should have tried to do more.”

Shiro shook his head. “No. No, it’s not your fault. You’re being worked to the bone, so you did what you could.” He paused. “Shiro, by the way.”

Liara hesitated, the magic also stopping for a moment before resuming. “You are not wrong about me being worked to the bone. But that does not stop me from wishing I could do more, from wishing that I was stronger.” She moved from Shiro’s arm to his stomach. Though this previous fight hadn’t been as vicious as other, his opponent had managed to get some nasty punches on Shiro’s torso. “Good…” Liara whispered. “No broken bones.”

Shiro laid quietly as she continued her work. He spoke again after several minutes of silence. “What exactly are you being forced to do?”

Liara hummed in thought. “I would not say that I am being forced to do anything, really.” Shiro raised a brow, sparing a glance at the collar she was wearing. “Yes, I am a captive, much like you are, but I at least am doing what I live for: healing. No, it is not in optimal conditions, but I would rather this than be bound by chains and be useless.” Liara paused for a moment, memories flashing in her mind. From what Shiro could tell, they were not good memories. “Useless, a burden, a failure…” Liara pursed her lips before shaking her head. “No, now is not the time for that.”

Shiro studied her as she moved down to his legs. She took a cloth she had on hand and gently wiped away the blood that had dried there. “What have the Galra done to you?” Liara was caught by surprise by his question, for she paused momentarily before returning to her work. The warmth of her magic spread through his thigh.

“Well, they have yet to toss me into the gladiator ring.” Though she tried to play it off as a joke, the accompanying smile was weak. Liara sighed. “It is as you said, the Galra work me to the bone. They force to over exert myself and use more magic than I have. They know it is painful to try and use magic that you do not have. They also know it hurts more to know that I cannot do anything for those who suffer because I do not have the magic to heal them. That is not the only thing the Galra do to me, but it is what hurts the most.”

Just then, the cell to Shiro’s door was flung open. Two guards stormed into the cell and ripped Liara away Shiro’s side. Liara cried out, wailing that she wasn’t finished healing him yet. The guards didn’t seem to care as they cuffed and chained and forcefully started dragging Liara out of the cell. Shiro was stunned. The last time, she knew when her time was up and left peacefully. Why would the Galra force her out?

Before he could register what was happening, electricity danced around Liara’s neck and she shrieked in pain. That collar.... That collar was a shock collar meant to keep her in line. Anger rose up and filled Shiro and practically gushed out of him. He stomped over to the guards and tried to fight them. He fought to no avail. One of the guards had anticipated his reaction and managed to manoeuvre behind Shiro and knock his out with the back of his blaster. As Shiro’s consciousness slowly drifted away, he heard Liara whimper apologies. Though they sounded like they were to the guards, Shiro could hear in her voice between sobs that she was apologizing to him. _“It’s not your fault.”_ Shiro thought, as the darkness overcame him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for posting a day late. Yesterday got a little crazy with studying for exams, so I'm posting now. Guess it just means two chapters two days in a row!
> 
> As per usual, this piece is part of the Shiro Big Bang, which can be found on [AO3](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Shiro_Big_Bang) and on [Tumblr](http://voltronbigbang.tumblr.com/).
> 
> The [beautiful artwork](https://xblackpaladin.tumblr.com/post/167081284055/t-minus-fanfic-by-dakurairakku-for) for this fic was done by the amazing [Arka](https://xblackpaladin.tumblr.com/)!


	4. Four Months

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's nothing quite like having a companion to share your woes with.

Shiro’s head throbbed. His head hurt so much, even thoughts were painful. Didn’t the Galra keep any painkillers? Shiro looked around his cell. Nearby laid Liara, crumpled over and in the corner. Well, perhaps maybe Liara could help. He crawled over to her and nudged her shoulder. Liara slumped over to one side and would’ve fallen over if Shiro hadn’t caught her. Was she unconscious? He checked to see if she had a pulse. Slow. Slow but still beating. Liara was either very tired or the guards had rendered her unconscious and then tossed her into the cell. Based on the whimper she made when Shiro held her so he could lay her down, it was a nasty mixture of both.

Now that he started thinking about it, he was in a new cell. And why was Liara in the cell with him anyway? He could barely remember. His head still throbbed painfully. Shiro scooted over to sit next to Liara and leaned his head back against the wall. Perhaps closing his eyes for a little would do some good.

~~~

It must have been sometime later when Shiro woke up, for two trays of food had been placed in the cell and Liara was picking at one of them. The food served today didn’t seem all too appetizing to her today. She peeked up at him when he stirred but quickly went back to her food. Shiro stretched.

“Did you sleep well?”   
Liara shook her head. “It was a painful sleep.” She murmured. “I could hear those who needed help crying and there was nothing I could do.” Shiro moved and patted her back. She flinched at first but then relaxed. She sniffled, tears starting to stream down her face. “Shiro, I am so sorry.” Shrio raised a brow. Where did this come from? “I have not gotten to apologize for what happened a few weeks ago. And on top of that…” Liara bit her lip. “I have been permanently assigned to you.”

“Why is that bad? That just means neither of us will be alone, right?”

Liara shook her head. “No. No, it is not good. It means the Galra are planning bad things.”

A lump formed in Shiro’s throat that was impossible to swallow. “What kind of things?” He carefully asked.

“I do not know.”

Silence fell between the two. Shiro looked at his tray of food and started eating what he could. Liara pushed hers away and went to sit on one of the cell beds. She played with her hair, pulling the long locks into different styles before deciding on a ponytail, the curls in her hair settling on the ends.

“If you mind me asking, how did you end up as a prisoner?” Liara looked up at Shiro. “I was out on a mission on one of my system’s moons looking for possible extraterrestrial life. The next thing I know, my crew and I got sucked up into this ship-”

“Not this ship.”

“What?”

“We last saw each other a few weeks ago, yes?” Shiro nodded his confirmation. “Since then, I have been transferred to two other ships and then to this one that you were transferred to. Granted, now that I am assigned to you, I will not be traveling from ship to ship so often.”

“Why do you travel so much?”

“I am a healer, and there are very few of us captured healers in the entire fleet. It is a deliberate choice: to keep us constantly working and to deny others the opportunity to be healed.” Liara stopped for a moment, thinking. “As for your original question, I am afraid the way I was captured in not all different than how you were. I was saving people from a planet that was under attack. I pushed my wards away from the tractor beam in order to save them. I do not regret my choice to save them over myself.” She looked back at Shiro with a wry smile. “I just hope they are still safe.”

“With your sacrifice, I don’t doubt they are.”

“Thank you, Shiro. Your words are comforting.” Liara looked towards the door. Steps of guards were echoing down the hall. “They also told me to look out for a rebel group.”

“Do you think there’s one?”

Liara shrugged. “It is possible. There is always someone or someones who will oppose the rest. It would not be far-fetched to say that there is a Galra rebel group.”

The door to the cell slid open. The guards ordered Liara and Shiro to stand. The two were cuffed and chained and lead down several halls. Shiro looked over his shoulder to Liara who merely shook her head. Shiro was confused. Weren’t they just put in the cell they were in not two minutes ago? They were stopped in front of a larger door. It slid open, and the two were uncuffed, unchained, and then pushed in with the door sliding and locking with a thud behind them.

Shiro looked over at Liara. “What was that about?”

“I am not sure. My current theory is that I was needed here, and it was decided to move you with me. I feel that is how it will work from now on: wherever one goes, the other will too.”

Shiro felt eyes looking at him. He turned to examine the cell. There were several others in the cell, most of which were visibly wounded. Liara immediately got to work, going from person to person-or alien to alien-and helping those who had been wounded during their capture. Shiro looked on as she went about her work, smiling as she interacted with the other prisoners. Watching her, he felt grateful that it was her that she had been assigned to him. Though it meant more moving to different cells, he felt comforted knowing that the healer would be there for him. 

However, the words from earlier echoed in his ears. He was curious, just as she. What exactly were the Galra planning for him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I apologize for posting a day late. This week I should be back on schedule! 
> 
> This piece is part of the Shiro Big Bang which can be found here on [AO3](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Shiro_Big_Bang) and on [tumblr](http://voltronbigbang.tumblr.com/).
> 
> [The wonderful art for this fic was done by the amazing ](https://xblackpaladin.tumblr.com/post/167081284055/t-minus-fanfic-by-dakurairakku-for)


	5. Five Months

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something doesn't feel quite right...

Where was he? What was happening? Purple lights, beeping sounds, murmurs. Numb. Shiro was numb. A bright light. Shrieking. Wait. Shrieking? Shiro was jolted from his haze. Why was someone shrieking? Shiro tried to move but he couldn’t. Why couldn’t he move? He looked down. Trapped. He was bound to the table by metal. Trapped. He couldn’t shake himself free. He went back to look at who was shrieking and why.

Liara. Liara was screaming and kicking. He couldn’t understand what she was saying, but she was being held back by Galra guards. Why was she being held back? Shiro tried to move. He was trapped. Liara shrieked.

Galra medics surrounded Shiro and one stood in the background, hooded. Shiro’s mind flew back to the medics. He wasn’t ill nor in bad shape. In fact, Liara had prioritized him since he was often sent to the gladiator ring. He shouldn’t be here. His instincts were telling him to flee. He struggled. He was trapped.

Something pinched his right arm. He lost all feeling in it moments later. On top of it, whatever he was injected with made his ears ring and his vision blur. He looked over to Liara who was pushed over to his side by the guards. Her lips trembled as large tears rolled down her face. Fear had inflicted every part of her being, and though Shiro could feel the warmth of her magic spread through him, he could also feel her fear. However, something felt weird. Almost like he was missing something.

Liara was on his left, and a couple of the medics had taken an interest to his right side. His head slowly rolled over, but Liara quickly brought his face to look back at her. He couldn’t hear her, but he understood enough to not to look at what was going on. He cringed in pain when Liara’s magic had stopped to turn him away, but the warmth was soon back.

He closed his eyes, trying to keep his breathing steady. Every fibre of his being told him that he needed to leave, that it wasn’t safe here. His brain knew he was strapped to the table, that he couldn’t escape, that he was trapped. The shrieking had stopped. There were only sobs.

When Shiro looked back over at Liara, she was holding her hair back. The pinching feeling had returned in his arm since her magic left, but based on what he saw, the feeling was nothing. Liara had thrown up and was looking like she was about to again. Shiro tried to reach out to her, but he could only open his hand. Liara took noticed and gave him a sad smile. She took his hand and returned to pouring her magic into him.

Hold on. Sobbing. Shrieking. Trapped. He was not ill nor was he in bad condition. Liara was using her healing magic. He had lost feeling in his right arm. Fear. The pieces started falling into place, The haze of whatever drug he’d been injected with was slowly dissipating. He attempted to look over at what was happening. Once again, Liara moved his head so he wouldn’t see. He shot her a look and jolted his head away. He would have to apologize to her later. 

Sobbing. Shrieking. Trapped. Fear. He shouldn’t have looked. Not now at least. Shiro tried to fight his restraints. He was on an operating table, blood dripping down the side. His right arm was gone. There was a robotic limb being attached. The pinching feeling was the feeling his arm being removed and replaced. He struggled against his restraints. Liara threw up again.

The medics turned to whisper amongst themselves as if Shiro could hear or Liara was paying attention. Another medic came forward and gave Shiro another injection. His world went black.

~~~

Shiro woke up in a cell. Alone. Isolated. Trapped. His ears rang. His vision spun around him. He felt sick. Could everything that happened have just been a dream? Shiro held up his right arm. It felt different, heavier. He looked over his arm. Metal. Shiro’s breathing intensified. His heart raced. He broke out into a cold sweat. What happened. What had happened in that room. He couldn’t remember much, it was probably for the best. He looked around the cell. Where was Liara? Wasn’t she assigned to him? Was she actually a part of the Galra? Was she a part of their plan?

His cell door slid open and Liara was tossed in, electricity dancing dangerously around her neck. The door was slammed shut behind her. She wobbled her way over to the wall for stability. She had lacerations all over her body. No, she was definitely not a part of their plan. If she was, she wouldn’t have come back, much less come back wounded. 

She tried talking to him, but he still couldn’t hear. His ears rang too loudly. He shook his head. Liara nodded. They were both exhausted. Liara collapsed on the ground, taking only moments to fall asleep against the wall. Shiro laid back, splayed on the floor. Was this real? Was any of this happening? The roof above him still spun.

He closed his eyes, thinking of home. He missed his friends. He missed his family. He wanted to be home. But home was far away, from what he could tell. He didn’t know how he would ever get home. He didn’t know if he would get home. He glanced over at Liara one last time. She was fidgeting in her sleep. More than likely, she was having a nightmare. 

Shiro closed his eyes again. He begged whatever gods would listen to him to let him get back home. He hated this. He hated being here. He thought he would be able to hold out. He thought maybe he would be rescued. It had been at least five months. Time was ticking and hope was draining. A rescue was not coming. A rescue would never come. 

Shiro tried to dream of home. But all he dreamt of was being trapped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter, another day. Don't Starve Together has an event called The Forge and it's a ridiculous amount of fun. If you have Don't Starve Together, you should check it out since it's a free update. Anyway! Poor Shiro can't catch a break. Someone please just give him a hug.
> 
> As per usual, this piece is part of the Shiro Big Bang. It can be found [here on AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Shiro_Big_Bang) and on [tumblr](http://voltronbigbang.tumblr.com/).
> 
> [The amazing art for this fic](https://xblackpaladin.tumblr.com/post/167081284055/t-minus-fanfic-by-dakurairakku-for) was done by the fantastic [Arka](https://xblackpaladin.tumblr.com/)!


	6. Six Months

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro gains a respite amongst the horrors he's experienced thus far.

“Earth. It’s a beautiful place. Pink skies in the early morning that turn orange as the suns sets, clouds carelessly drifting in the sky… There is no place on Earth that looks the same. There are places where it’s nothing but green grasses for as far as the eye can see and mountains that have peaks that pierce the sky. Sometimes there are storms, with thunder that shakes the heavens and lightning as bright as day.”

Liara listened as Shiro described his home. She held his prosthetic arm, easing the pain that had slowly crept into his body from his missing arm. Every once in awhile, his hand would twitch, still not used to the sensation of the prosthetic and its sensitivity. A small smile crept upon Liara’s face. “Earth sounds like a beautiful place. I have only been there once myself but for a very short time.”

Shiro looked over at Liara, surprised. “You have?”

Liara nodded. “Yes. My people go to Earth to look for familiars. Earth is volatile compared to other planets, so the best familiars come from Earth.”

“Did you go to Earth to look for a familiar?”

“Yes.”

“And you managed to find one?”

“I did.”

“Then where…?” Shiro let his sentence drift off, hoping that he didn’t impede into something personal for Liara.

“Safe. Cyrus, my familiar, and I were not with one another at the time I was captured. I know that he is worried about me, but he knows better than to sit and wait for me. He will be helping those who are being attacked by the Galra. He will move them far away, where it is safe.” Liara pursed her lips. “I suppose that is not what you want to hear me talk about. Would you like to hear of my home?” Shiro nodded. “Well then, you are called a human, but my people are the Cailleach, a witch, as your people would say. We live on a planet called Foraoise Codlata. The entire planet is covered in trees. The trees have long branches and large dark leaves. The leaves and branches all intertwine and blocks out light. However, occasionally light does come through, in a special storm we call Tine Réalta. It looks like little fiery stars have fallen through the trees. It rarely happens, but it is magical. I remember playing in it as a small child with my brother.”

“Do you have siblings?”

“I do. I am one eight. Our families are… peculiar. It is not uncommon for spouses to have children outside of the marriage and bring those children into the family. I am a child born within the marriage, so all of my siblings are half related. Two others were born inside the marriage. Meanwhile, my mother had two others and my father three others.”

Shiro smiled. “It’s nice that you have a big family though. Did you get to see them often?” Liara’s pained look told him that he struck a painful nerve. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-”

“No. It is fine. In fact, that is part of the reason I was even captured.” Shiro raised a brow. Liara shook her head. “No, they did not give me over to the Galra.” Liara sighed, visibly drooping as she did. “You see, we have something of a hierarchy on our planet. Only the two strongest children of a family may stay on Foraoise Codlata, and that usually happens to be the two youngest. I was one set to stay on my homeworld, I even had a baby sister a year younger than I who was sent away because she was not deemed worthy. But then my youngest sister replaced me, eventually, my youngest brother also became powerful enough to stay. I was exiled from my home, but it was about that time I hear of a powerful magic user. Her description sounded like that of a Cailleach. My heart told me that it must be my sister that was sent away, so I went searching for her. My search led me to start helping those attacked by the Galra escape.”

“And then, when helping with the escape, you got caught.

Liara nodded. “When caught, I heard that Zarkon was working with a witch. I have met her once.”

“And…?”

“It was not my sister. But I have heard a rumor that there is another witch held captive on this ship. Should I one day escape, I will do what I can to see if those rumours are true.”

Shiro furrowed his brows. “It seems that your family isn’t looking for you, so why are you looking for them?”

“For one, my sister would not know what she is. As for the rest of my family, I firmly believe we must come together to help overthrow the Galra Empire. The Cailleach have been hiding under the universe’s nose for far too long. It is time we come out from the shadows and fight for the freedom of the universe.”

Shiro pulled his arm away from Liara and clenched it. The pain had finally subsided. “If I ever escape, do you think it’d be possible for me to visit Foraoise Codlata?”

Liara chuckled. “I highly doubt it. Foraoise Codlata is a planet tucked far away. From a distance, it looks like a barren planet. I am not sure what scanners would pick up, but something tells me that the magic there keeps Foraoise Codlata hidden.”

Shiro smiled, a twinkle in his eyes. “Well then, I’ll just take that as a challenge. One day, I’ll pilot a ship and find Foraoise Codlata myself.”

Liara laughed. “I would like to see you try! If you do, tell those you find that Liara sent you. That will surely surprise them-they would not expect to hear that name again so soon!”

Shiro laughed as well. It was nice to laugh again. All he seemed to do these past few months was sit in a cell and steep in fear and anger and unrest. If he wasn’t in a cell, then he was in the gladiator ring. He learned that not all the opponents he faced were big and bad, some were other prisoners that happened to get unlucky. If he wasn’t doing either of those, then he was following Liara around as she helped heal other prisoners, most of which were others he merely knocked out in the ring. He was thankful that’d he got to apologize to them afterwards. But in this moment, he was most thankful that he got to laugh one last time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're back on schedule y'all! It's also time for a nice break and some info dumping. I promise this'll all be important at one point or another. I just need to get off my lazy ass and get my next Voltron fic done.
> 
> This fic is part of the Shiro Big Bang, which can be found on [AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Shiro_Big_Bang) and on [tumblr](http://voltronbigbang.tumblr.com/).
> 
> Thank you to [Arka](https://xblackpaladin.tumblr.com/) for doing the [amazing art for this fic](https://xblackpaladin.tumblr.com/post/167081284055/t-minus-fanfic-by-dakurairakku-for)!


	7. Seven Months

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not everything that happens is a bad thing. Sometimes, miracles can happen.

Shiro had been trying to nap in the shared cell when the screaming started. Immediately, he was up and searching for the source. He noticed other prisoners huddled in a circle, though a particularly high pitched screech made them flee. The sight before Shiro made him reel back in shock. The Galra put someone with child in a cell? And now they were giving birth? This surely didn’t bode well. The screams were surely going to start attracting attention. Whether good or bad, Shiro wasn’t sure he wanted to find out. He went and stood close to the cell door, listening carefully for any footsteps. Every so often, he would hear Liara whispering to her patient in giving birth in some odd language. The other seemed to understand, and would nervously nod every so often and in between screeches of pain.

~~~

Shiro wasn’t sure how much longer it had been, but the baby had been born and the mother was crying tears of joy. Liara smiled happily and stood wearily, but the light in her eyes quickly faded and she fell over as soon as she had stood. Shiro raced over to catch her.

“Liara? Liara? Are you okay? What happened?” Shiro looked around frantically. One of the aliens in the shared cell stood and stepped nervously over to him.

“She’s exhausted herself. She’s been doing so much for us all lately, I think she’s forgotten to take care of herself.” Shiro furrowed his brows. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but she’s been worked to the bone and hasn’t been eating as much. She’s been sharing her meals more than she has been eating them.”

“Liara…” He should’ve been paying more attention. He knew something was off the past several days. Though he knew she would’ve refused, he should’ve at least offered some of his food to her.

“Here, lie her head on my lap,” the other prisoner said and sat down beside Shiro. “I can try to use some of the healing techniques from my village from my homeworld to help her.” Shiro nodded and shifted so Liara was on the other’s lap. The other pushed Liara’s hair back and gently rubbed her temples.

Shiro watched on as they gently massaged various points on Liara. They explained that back in their village, it was thought that exhaustion was caused by tension and stress, so a good massage was just what was needed to make someone lively again. Shiro asked them why they didn’t also massage the scars on Liara’s face. Shiro thought that they looked painful. Though they were symmetrical on either side of her face, they were a blazing red. The prisoner laughed.

“Those aren’t scars, child. That’s the mark of magic. You’ve never seen them before?” Shiro shook his head. “The awful witch, Haggar, also has them. There are several others in the universe that bear them.”

Shiro pondered for a moment. “Is it possible she tried to hide them because of Haggar?”

Shiro’s companion nodded thoughtfully. “It is very possible. The other healers don’t use magic, or are as reliant on magic, as this one is. You can hardly see their marks, that or they appear in different locations, so there is not a need to hide them like this one does.” They picked up Liara’s head and gently set her back on the floor. “There is not much else I can do for this one, I’m afraid, but I will wait with you until she wakes up.”

~~~

“Takashi Shirogane.”

“Huh?”

Liara had slept for several days without waking up. As soon as she did, Shiro and his companion immediately sat her up and forced her to eat. She desperately tried to claim that she wasn’t hungry and that the others could eat her share, but her stomach said otherwise when it growled like a ferocious demon. Now she was stuffing her face and making small talk with Shiro as she did so.

“I only ever told you my nickname. My full name is Takashi Shirogane.”

“I, uhm... Thank you for telling me. I hate to disappoint, but Liara is the only name I have.” She jabbed Shiro’s side. “At least one of us was completely truthful when we formally met.”

“Hey, I didn’t know what the Galra were going to have you do to me. I couldn’t be too careful now, could I?”

“I know, I thought I would tease you.”

Silence fell between the two. The sounds of muffled snores filled the air. The others in the cell had long since fallen asleep. Shiro had promised that he would look over Liara while they slept, just in case, she tried to leave her food for them again. Every once in awhile, the newborn baby would squeak in its sleep.

“You really scared everyone for a while there. We were all scared that you weren’t going to wake up.”

“It will take a little more than sleep deprivation and starvation to kill me. I very much plan to stay alive to see the Galra Empire fall apart. When I escape, I plan on finding any rebel group I can and helping them take down this horrid tyranny. The Galra Empire has reigned for far too long.”

Shiro chuckled. “Big dreams for someone who can barely take care of herself. How about we start with you eating and resting more and we’ll go from there.”

“I cannot promise that. My duty is to heal those in need first and foremost. I have already sacrificed myself for others, and that resulted in my capture. I would gladly do it again if it meant others escaped from this prison before I do.”

Shiro absentmindedly looked at the wall several feet in front of him. “I can’t let you do that.”

“Why not?”

“You go around sacrificing yourself too much: your sleep, your magic, your food, your energy… Everything. I know you’re doing it out of the good of your heart, but it’s going to cost you your life one day.”

Liara nibbled at her lip. Shiro thought he had angered her when she fell into a silence, but she finally spoke some moments later. “I know, and I am okay with that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there! We're past the halfway point. For those in school in the U.S., I hope you enjoy your break this coming week! As a forewarning, Wednesday's chapter might not make it out until Thursday or Friday of this week since I'll be flying home for the holiday. We'll have to see, but I should be able to post it before the end of the day.
> 
> This piece is part of the Shiro Big Bang which can be found on [AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Shiro_Big_Bang) and on [tumblr](http://voltronbigbang.tumblr.com/).
> 
> [The amazing artwork](https://xblackpaladin.tumblr.com/post/167081284055/t-minus-fanfic-by-dakurairakku-for) for this story was done by the fabulous [Arka](https://xblackpaladin.tumblr.com/)!


	8. Eight Months

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tick tock goes the clock, tip tep goes the step.

Shiro prodded lazily at his food. He knew he should be eating, but hunger evaded him. Sleep had also alluded him, and his eyes were glazed over with exhaustion. A piece of food rolled off his plate. 

Liara sat at the opposite end of the cell, only half interested in her food as well. Every once in awhile, her head would nod. Shiro looked over to her. She probably had had another restless night, not that he would know. He went to sleep alone in his cell. When he woke up, Liara was being taken out of his cell. This had been happening more and more frequently. It also meant that he saw Liara less and less. He figured the Galra wanted her elsewhere now.

Shiro hadn’t been in the gladiator ring much, though the Druids and Galran doctors had decided to take a fancy to him. They would poke and prod at him, ask him questions he couldn’t comprehend, flash light in his eyes, and then leave him in the darkness. He has asked what they were doing. He had yet to get a response.

He placed his food to the side and went over to Liara’s side. She had finally dozed off. He looked back down at her plate. Full. She hadn’t managed to eat anything, and by the way looked, she hadn’t eaten much in a while. Shiro figured she probably gave her food away again when she was visiting other prisoners. He furrowed his brows. He picked his plate up and scooped a portion off of it and onto hers. The scrape of the eating utensil against the dish jolted Liara awake.

“What are you doing?” Liara rubbed her eyes.

“Doing what you do: giving my food away to others.”

Liara scowled. “You need your food more than I do. At least I do not have appointments with the lovely doctors.” Liara paused, realizing the bite to her words. “My apologies.”

Shiro shook his head. “You’re not wrong, but I would like you to have some of my food. At least I’ve eaten in the past day. I doubt you have.”

Liara looked down at the plate of goop before she poked at it. Her eyes were narrowed as she slowly took tiny bites of the food. Something was bothering her, Shiro could tell. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, attempting to find words. The cell fell silent. Sentry footsteps clanked by the door.

Liara glanced over at the door. “There is a rebel group amongst the Galra.” She murmured. “I have sought them out, asked them to free prisoners if they can.”

“What about-” Shiro blurted out. Liara glared at him. He softened his voice to a whisper. “What about you?”

“I have asked them to try and save those who are being experimented on first.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“It is possible that they will get to this ship in a few months. I am not the only one seeking their help.”

“Liara-”

"The others healers and I have come to the agreement that we will all stay behind. Just because some are freed, does not mean that the Galra will not capture more to replace them. These new prisoners will need help as well.”

“And what about you? And the other healers? When will you escape?”

“If all goes well, this is where we will die.”

Shiro gaped at Liara. “You plan to die here?”

Liara nodded. “We all do.”

“But what about those who need your help outside of this wretched place? What about your family? Your friends?”

Liara stiffened. “We are needed here.”

Shiro wasn’t convinced. “Liara, drop it. You, the other healers, this is ridiculous.”

“I do not know if you have noticed,” Liara snapped. “But the chances of my escape are much less likely.” She pointed to the collar around her neck. I cannot go anywhere without being escorted. I cannot go to certain areas without an alarm sounding and me being shocked. If I so much as look at a sentry-a sentry-wrong, it is grounds for a shock. The Galra prize us little healers. We keep the prisoners alive and well so they can use you for whatever they like.”

Shiro shrunk back. “I know, Liara. I know that you’re not in a better situation than the rest of us. But can’t you even consider the idea of escaping? Maybe the rebel group can find a way to take the collars off?”

Liara shook her head. “No. I have already made up my mind.”

Footsteps echoed in the all. Liara and Shiro sat there, listening to the way they tapped and clanked against the floor. For every footstep, Liara would tap her finger against her wrist. Before long, Shiro realized she was counting.

“What are-”

“The sentries. They are on a set schedule. Tapping helps me keep track of the footsteps they take before they are out of range.” She looked up at him. “It is time I start teaching you this tactic as well. You will need it to help your escape.”

Shiro looked at Liara sceptically. “You’re positive it’ll help?”

“As one who often travels with the sentries, I am positive.”

“Then how do I do it?”

“The sentries are set to be approximately thirty steps away from each other on days with high security and two hundred on days with low. Counting the steps between them will give you an estimate of what security is like on any given day. This system is true throughout the entire ship, though footsteps counts can vary between sections.” More footsteps echoed through the hall. “The security level is high today. Something is keeping the Galra alert.” She smiled.

Shiro quirked a brow. “What are you smiling?”

“Because now is the perfect opportunity to test your tapping skills. Now, come on, let us see if you could make your own escape.”

Shiro shook his head. He wasn’t buying the reason for Liara’s smile, but he’d rather see her smile for now than watch her wither away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Monday everyone! I hope everyone is having a good start to their week! We're eight months in and it's been oddly relaxing... Hmmm.....
> 
> This piece is part of the Shiro Big Bang which can be found on [AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Shiro_Big_Bang) and on [tumblr](http://voltronbigbang.tumblr.com/).
> 
> [The amazing artwork](https://xblackpaladin.tumblr.com/post/167081284055/t-minus-fanfic-by-dakurairakku-for) for this fic was done by the ever-fantastic [Arka](https://xblackpaladin.tumblr.com/)!


	9. Nine Months

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blue may be the colour of a planet that's far far away, but purple is the only colour Shiro can see.

It had been several months since Shiro had last been in the gladiator ring and nearly a month since he last spoke with Liara. He had seen her occasionally after his “appointments” with the Galran doctors. There were no words between them, as guards would escort her to his cell, have her check up on him, and then promptly leave.

Shiro stood before the entrance, worrying at his lip. He kept clutching his hands and turning them into fists. He was nervous. What could be the reason for suddenly throwing him back into the ring? He glanced over at his prosthetic arm. It was weird. Why had they put it on him? Perhaps it was experimental technology. Perhaps Galra were losing limbs in the battlefields, just like in any war, and he was designated for new prosthetic technology? At least, that’s the answer Shiro had settled on. He clenched his hand again.

The door before him flung open. The crowd roared. He timidly stepped out into the field. He could spot his opponent on the other side. From where he was, the opponent looked like a hulking mass of a monster. The closer he got, he could make out prisoners clothing. They had several other prosthetics on them as well: one over the right eye, some sort of chest plate, and something along the lines of a tail that vaguely looked like a whip. Shiro gulped. He and his opponent looked over one another. The crowd’s cheers had dimmed down.

“So you are the one they call The Gladiator?”

“I-I suppose so.” Shiro winced as he stumbled over his words.

His opponent gave a toothy grin. “I am honoured. May the best fighter win.”

~~~

Shiro wiped away the last bit of vomit from his mouth. His mind was still processing what had happened in the gladiator ring the other day. The fight had been going smoothly, or so he thought. While exchanging blows, he and his opponent had promised to try and do nothing more than knock each other unconscious. His opponent wound up dead.

He could still see it all so clearly. He was heaving, the fight having been drawn out for longer than he would’ve liked. Then his vision went purple. He couldn’t think straight. His mind thinking a million different thoughts. Then his hand pierced through the chest plate of his opponent. His opponent looked betrayed, their heart very much in Shiro’s hand. 

When the colour purple went away and Shiro realized he had pulled his opponent’s heart of their chest, he dropped to his knees, drenched in sweat, trying not to throw up all of his innards right there and then. He had to be helped off of the field and back to his cell. A healer came to check on him. It was not Liara.

The door to his cell slid open. The healer from the other day peered in and smiled before entering. The door closed and locked behind them.

“How are you?” Their voice was echo-y as if several people were speaking at once. 

Shiro winced at the sound. His mind wasn’t sure how to process the voices of many coming from one person. “I’ve been better.” He glanced down at the bucket before him.

The healer nodded. “So I can… Smell. Is it the food that has you upset?”

Shiro shook his head. “No. No… It’s not that. It’s just memories.”

The healer nodded again. “Is it from your previous encounter in the gladiator ring?”

“Yes…”

The healer was silent for a moment, choosing to carefully consider their next words. “Are you aware of what happened?”

Shiro scowled. “Of course I am. I ripped their heart out of their chest.”

The healer winced. “No, not that. Are you aware of what overcame you? What happened?” When Shiro shook his head to say that he did not, the healer continued. “The prosthetic. It is personally designed by the Druids with Haggar’s help. Your previous encounter in the gladiator ring was to test it. From what I understand, the test went better than expected.”

“Test...?”

“Yes. Test. To see how deadly the prosthetic was.”

Shiro looked down at his arm. He was sick. That’s the reason this prosthetic was installed on him? His stomach lurched. He reached for the bucket again. The healer came to his side and rubbed his back as Shiro’s body wracked him. There was nothing left to come up. 

“What can I do to help you?” The healer’s voice was soothing.

“I’m not all sure… Can we start with the throwing up?” 

The healer nodded and placed their hands on Shiro’s lower back. His abdomen suddenly felt warm and his nausea ebbed away. The healer opened a pouch that was on their hip and took out a bottle and placed it next to Shiro.

“Take a small sip of this whenever you feel sick. It will help quell the anger in your stomach.”

“You wouldn’t happen to have anything for bad dreams infecting sleep, would you?”

The healer smiled softly and pulled out another bottle. “I do. Take a small sip of this before you sleep. It will help to calm your mind.”

“Thank you.”

The healer stood up and walked over to the cell door. “Liara sends her regards.”

Shiro perked up. "Liara? Where has she been?”

The healer looked saddened. “I’m not all so sure myself. I see her in passing, but neither I nor any of the other healers are sure as to why the Galra have decided to isolate her recently. She may have let the notion of rebellion slip, at least, that is what we healers currently believe. Though I doubt it’s that that has caused her isolation.” The healer took one last look at Shiro. “I wish you well.” The healer took their leave.

Shiro leaned back at looked at the potions. Hopefully, they would be the solution he needed. He took a sip from each of them and then drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about such a late posting and not getting around to posting last Wednesday or Friday! To make up for that, and to make sure I get everything on time, I plan to post one chapter a day up until this Wednesday. Hopefully, that should make up for the rather dead week that was last week as well. :D
> 
> This fic is part of the Shiro Big Bang which can be found on [tumblr](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Shiro_Big_Bang>AO3</a%20href>%20and%20on%20<a%20href=).
> 
> The amazing art for this fic was done by the wonderful [Arka](https://xblackpaladin.tumblr.com/)!


	10. Ten Months

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been strangely peaceful for Shiro. He's starting to get suspicious that something is up. But what could the Galra be planning?

Clank. Clank. Clank. Clank. Clank. Clank. Clank. The never ending footsteps of the drones. Today they were paced few and far between. Shiro looked around his solitary cell. A bed, surprisingly not all that terrible to sleep, a door that led into the smallest private toilet and sink Shiro had ever seen, and thick walls that kept out extraneous noises (footsteps excluded of course). He wasn’t sure if he should be happy about the walls that withheld sound or not. Perhaps it was to appease “The Champion” or perhaps there were dastardly plans in store for him. He wasn’t sure he liked either.

Another set of footsteps echoed in the hall. Curious, the next set of sentries shouldn’t have come for a while longer. He peeked out the small window on his door. A strange alien with three heads but one eye between them was being escorted. Shiro noted the shock collars around each neck. One of the healers. A new gladiator ring candidate must’ve been put in a cell nearby. 

Shiro huffed and went to lay on his bed. The strange potions that he had been given about a month ago had been very helpful. The memories of that particular fight had been staved off and the sickness he felt quelled. He looked at his arm. He couldn’t believe that he did such a thing. It was like he was being-

“Controlled.”

The thought sent shivers up his back. He had seen Liara once since the traumatic visit to the gladiator ring. He’d been back to the ring a couple times since, but nothing had happened with his arm. Liara had said that there was a possibility of a special substance within his arm that helped power it. She said that there might be a plausible way to control it remotely. When Shiro had asked how Liara had shaken and her head and said she didn’t know anything else. It was Haggar the Witch’s doing. Who knew how her magic even worked.

Shiro furrowed his brows. Now that he thought about it, the last time he saw Liara, she had been cuffed at her wrists and ankles as well. Not usual cuffs either. They seemed more heavy duty and had little lights that blinked and danced. Something bad had happened. Unease rumbled in his core, but he closed his eyes and breathed. There was no need to get caught up in the unknown.

Shiro closed his eyes. Months had passed since he had first been captured along with Matt and Sam Holt. He wondered what had happened to them. Sam Holt was an ageing man. He would have more than likely been sent to a labour camp. The labor probably wasn’t treating him well. Matt, on the other hand, could handle some intense work if it came to it. Shiro wondered if the injury healed up well. He didn’t get to see it much, but the injury looked nasty at first. Hopefully, Matt understood. 

The door slid open. In stepped Haedhihtu, as Shiro had come to learn. The multiple voices emanating from them still haunted him. However, the potions they made worked wonders for Shiro. Though he did wonder how Haedhihtu had the ingredients to make potions in the first place. Thinking of potential ingredients made Shiro’s stomach churn.

“How are you feeling?”

“Better than I have the past few days.”

“How is your arm?”

“It’s… fine?” An odd question to ask. Shiro lifted his arm to examine it. “I’m still not entirely used to it. It feels weird.”

Haedhihtu nodded absent-mindedly. “Have the potions been working for you?”

Shiro nodded. “Yes, thank you. I don’t know what I would do without them.”

Haedhihtu smiled. “I am glad to be of assistance. If you are feeling well, I will drop these potions off and take my leave.”

“Haedhihtu?” Shiro sat up from his bed. 

The healer stopped and turned back. “Is there anything else I may help you with?”

“I was just curious… How did you get trapped here? If you’re willing to tell me, that is.”

The healer was silent as they thought. “I offered myself in the place of another. It was so long ago, though.”

“How long?”

“Far too long. I have long since stopped counting the time that has passed by.”

“And you never tried to escape?”

“No. Not when there are others here that need help.”

“You and everyone else…” Shiro muttered.

The healer chuckled. “Yes. Just like the others. We have all agreed that we will be the last to leave the Galra’s imprisonment.” 

“Why? Why stay? Anyone else would try and escape the first chance they get! Why would you stay even if others might betray or backstab each other to find freedom?”

Haedhihtu looked over Shiro. “If you could protect or save others, would you not do what you could to do that?”

Shiro looked back at Haedhihtu confused. “I suppose I would.”

“Then that is what we healers have decided is the best course of action to protect and save the prisoners that are on the ships. We must remain behind, even if they would do their worst to us. We hope that what we do gives the prisoners another chance of survival and, one day, potential freedom.”

“But that still doesn’t make any sense.”

Haedhihtu looked over Shiro again and placed a spindly hand on his head. “Because you have no one to protect but yourself.”

“That’s not-”

“Perhaps not in the grand scheme. But as of right now, you are on your own. You must put yourself first. You cannot rely on a single person without the threat that they might not return one day.” The healer slowly blinked. “The healers the Galra have captured are one certainty. We might end up abused, tortured, and martyred, but we would not change it. Just as I am sure you would not change your choice about hurting your friend to go into the gladiator ring.”

Haedhihtu was right. Shiro did not regret hurting Matt so he didn’t have to go into the ring. Shiro had hoped to give Matt a second chance at survival. Shiro sighed.

“I see your point.”

“Now, go to sleep. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.” 

Haedhihtu’s hand felt warm on Shiro’s forehead. Shiro’s eyes felt heavy. He took one last glance at the healer before succumbing to the darkness and stillness of sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's Monday's Chapter! Hope you enjoy!
> 
> This piece is part of the Shiro Big Bang. The Shiro Big Bang can be found at [the Big Bang's AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/tags/Shiro%20Big%20Bang%202017/works) and at [the Big Bang's Tumblr](http://voltronbigbang.tumblr.com/).
> 
> [Artwork for T-Minus](https://xblackpaladin.tumblr.com/post/167081284055/t-minus-fanfic-by-dakurairakku-for) was done by the amazing [Arka](https://xblackpaladin.tumblr.com/).


	11. Eleven Months

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro had been lulled into a false sense of peace. Or, well, as peaceful as he could presume. He wasn't ready for what was planned next.

Shiro wished he could leave reality and never come back. The gladiator ring had taken its toll. Figments of his imagination danced before his eyes. Flashes of fire and glowing eyes intruded his mind. Maybe this was the side effect of those potions. The cheers of the audience were slowly turning into white noise. He could only hear one phrase: I am sorry.

Shiro had spent the past months mostly isolated. Different healers would come in and check on him after each time he was in the gladiator ring. They would all ask how he felt. He said he felt sick. It was true. He felt nauseous and dizzy and tired. Every part of him felt strained to breaking. All Shiro wanted was to lie down and sleep and then wake up to find out this had all been one bad nightmare. Why couldn’t it just be a nightmare?

The flames kept dancing in his eyes. They felt familiar. Why? Shiro kept on defending himself. The flames were warm. They reminded him of the warm feeling of curling under a blanket on a cold night, freshly baked cookies with gooey chocolate chips, the feeling of an embrace from a lover, the feel of hot chocolate running down his you throat and the smell of a crackling fireplace while surrounded by friend’s roasting marshmallows and making s’mores during a snowstorm… They were magical. They were familiar but threatening-like they wanted to kill him. 

Shiro caught glimpses every so often of his attacker. Pointed ears. Freckles. Blue-tinted skin. Strange red markings around the eyes. He was reminded of a moon elf from one of those games Matt tried to show him some time ago. Perhaps his opponent was some sort of alien moon elf? That would be curious. He briefly wondered if perhaps those characters in the game had more truth to them than met the eye. 

“Oof!” Shiro was knocked back by a solid kick to the chest. He was tossed out of his dazed state. His vision blurred and moment and then cleared. Nothing stood before him. He quickly stood up, wary of his surroundings. 

“I am sorry.”

Another kick to his side.

“Please forgive me.”

He narrowly dodged a fireball.

“I do not wish to hurt you.”

He raced around a pillar and panted. His opponent was using magic. He had to figure out a way to get around them. But why was his opponent constantly apologizing? None had ever done that. Each opponent wanted to live and fought to their very best. 

Shiro looked over his shoulder around the pillar’s corner. Nothing. The audience had also quieted. Tension lay thick in the air. Had his opponent dropped dead? No, the tension was anticipation. The audience was waiting for something. In the silence, Shiro could faintly hear footsteps and murmured apologies. Shiro whirled around the pillar he was hiding behind. Not far in front of him stood Liara, panting harshly and holding onto her arm. Slowly, her arm turned back in the right direction.

Shiro took a step back in shock. She didn’t look the same as when he had last seen her. She was skin and bones and definitely malnourished. A scar blemished her lip. Her eyes, despite glowing, were dull and lifeless.

“So you are finally out of your daze, Shiro?” She smiled wryly. 

“What are you doing here? You’re a healer! Why would they send you to the gladiator ring?”

“It was merely a matter of time. I made a mistake and let it slip that I had made contact with a rebel group. I guess I was not careful enough.” Her brows furrowed. 

“Shiro, the Galra are looking for one of us to die. You are the one who must survive.”

“What?! I’m not going to kill you!”

“I am not asking you to.”

Shiro looked down at his arm. He gulped nervously. He got very little say in the matter regardless of what Liara wanted.

“We still have some time before that witch decides to have her fun with you. I must die before then.”

“Why?”

“We must play to the crowd, no? Besides, my death by your own will should give you a break from that arm of yours.”

“Liara, I can’t-”

Liara narrowed her eyes, looking much more fierce than before. “Our time is up, Shiro. Now die.” She snarled. She leapt at him with a growl. A fireball was in the palm of her hand. 

Shiro barely managed to dodge Liara’s fireball. It exploded behind him and destroyed a pillar. The force of the explosion flung him forwards. What was happening? Why did Liara change so suddenly? Fire apologizing and then wanting to kill him-this was all madness! 

Another fireball came towards him. The heat radiated no longer felt comforting. It felt vengeful. He ducked down and dodged once again. He rolled away as it hit the ground. Dust flew up into the air. He coughed. He couldn’t see in front of him. He kept the sword he had been given drawn. Another fireball hit the ground nearby and caused more dust to fly into the air. Then something hit him. 

 

“May we see each other in another life.”

He fell backwards. Something heavy lay upon him. As the dust was settling, he saw clearly: Liara was impaled upon his sword.

“Liara?”

She weakly coughed, blood dribbling down her mouth. “They will think you did it.”

“But I didn’t!”

“They will not know that, Shiro. Please…. Be careful. May The Blade of Marmora find you…”

Shiro felt himself stop breathing. His mind couldn’t process what was happening. None of this could be real. None of this was happening. When would he wake up? The audience roared their approval. The white noise of their cheers and excitement buzzed in Shiro’s head. His head started to spin. He closed his eyes. He could not bear how sick he felt. Shiro let the sound and lights fade away. Maybe when he woke up this time, everything would be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second to last chapter! Which means tomorrow is the last day (or in Shiro's case, month). Let's see what tomorrow brings, shall we?
> 
> This piece is part of the Shiro Big Bang. The Shiro Big Bang can be found at [the Big Bang's AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/tags/Shiro%20Big%20Bang%202017/works) and at [the Big Bang's Tumblr](http://voltronbigbang.tumblr.com/).
> 
> [Artwork for T-Minus](https://xblackpaladin.tumblr.com/post/167081284055/t-minus-fanfic-by-dakurairakku-for) was done by the amazing [Arka](https://xblackpaladin.tumblr.com/).


	12. One Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro's finally home. He's never been so grateful to sleep in an actual bed. But he can't shake this feeling he's forgetting something...

Arriving back on Earth had not gone quite as well as Shiro had hoped. He managed to find an escape pod and flee, but once he was found, he was immediately restrained to a table. He vaguely remembered spouting that aliens were coming and that Earth needed to prepare. The people that found him hadn’t listened. Instead, they had injected him with a sedative. His eyes immediately closed. 

When he opened his eyes next, he was surrounded by darkness. His body felt weightless. Shiro panicked when he realized this. He flailed and looked about, desperately searching for something to hold onto. He relaxed when he felt a gentle hand rest on his shoulder.

“Shiro.”

The hand felt warm and soft. He slowly turned to face

“Liara…”

Liara gave a gentle smile. Shiro looked at her incredulously. Hadn’t she died? How was she here in his mind? He quickly cleared his mind and rushed to give Liara a hug. She giggled when his arms wrapped around her.

“Liara, I’m so sorry-”

“What are you apologizing for?”

“For your death! Your suffering! It was my fault!”

Liara pushed Shiro away. “No, Shiro. My suffering was mine alone. My death was my choice. I have no regrets.”

“None?”

She shook her head. “None.”

Shiro tightened his lips together. He wasn’t entirely convinced that Liara had passed with no regrets or wishes. Why else would she come to him in his sleep? Regardless, he kept his mouth shut.

“Shiro, you are destined for great things.” Liara took Shiro’s robotic hand and placed hers on it. “You have suffered greatly. No doubt, your suffering is still not over. But you still have a full life left to live.”

Shiro grasped Liara’s hand in his. He never realized how small her hands were, how frail they were. “But what can I do? And what if the Galra find me again? I don’t want to live on the run, scared of being found, but at the same time, I can’t risk staying in one place and involving others.”

Liara shook her head. “I am afraid others will get involved whether you want them to or not.”

“But-!”

“Remember Voltron?”

Shiro paused. He remembered hearing the name Voltron every once in a while. The Galra were searching for it. It was some sort of weapon. A weapon they needed. He didn’t understand much more than that, but he knew that the Galra could not be allowed to find Voltron. Shiro nodded.

“You must help find Voltron.”

“Me?”

Liara nodded. “You.” She smiled wryly. “Yes, you.” She looked up. Shiro noticed that her gaze looked distant. “My time is running short. You will wake up soon.”

“What? No! Liara, wait!” Flakes of light slowly began to flicker off the edges of her body. Shiro tried to grasp her, only to feel his hand swipe through her body. “Liara!”

“Shiro, we will meet again.”

“How can we? You died!” Shiro desperately fought back tears.

“That is what you believe.” Liara’s hands cupped his face and she rested her forehead against his. “Shiro, when we next meet, we will be different people.”

Shiro’s memory began to feel fuzzy. Well, fuzzier than usual. He knew that a lot of the trauma from being held prisoner distorted his memory but now it felt as if an entire section of his memory was being erased.

“L-Liara? What are you doing?”

“In order for you to move on, you must focus on Voltron and defeating the Galra. In order to do that you must forget.”

“Forget? Forget what?” 

Liara was silent. Small tears flowed from her eyes. “Forget me.”

Shiro tried to reel back in shock. He didn’t want to forget her. She had been there at his side for most of his captivity. He couldn’t bear to lose those memories. But he was trapped. He already couldn’t remember how they met or how her magic felt when it healed him. “Liara… Liara please, don’t do this.”

“If you need to find me, go to where your heart calls. I will be there.”

“Where my heart calls?”

Liara leaned back. “Yes, Shiro.” She placed a hand over his heart. “I may be far but I will never be gone.”

Shiro could only nod. He could barely recognize the face before him. Who was she again? Why did those glowing eyes look so familiar? Before he could ask, the flakes of light consumed her and floated away. He looked at his palm, confused. It felt so cold now. Tears dripped down his cheeks. A piece of him was missing, but he couldn’t remember what part.

***

The sun filtering through the windows was bright when Shiro woke up. He stretched and yawned. He looked over to see a table with a pair of fresh clothes on it. Fresh clothes. When was the last time he wore clothing that wasn’t meant for a prisoner? He dressed quickly, all too eager to get out of the dreadful scraps of cloth. He then quietly snuck outside to enjoy the sunrise. It was beautiful. He was sad to think about how many sunrises he had missed while he was gone.

Nearby, he noticed a small patch of flowers. He squinted and recognized them as Forget-Me-Nots. What an odd flower to have grown all the way in this barren land. He smiled, happy to see that even flowers could survive in the midst of a desert. While thinking of the flowers, his hand suddenly felt warm. It was odd since it wasn’t a general warmth as if the sun’s rays were warming it, but as if someone was holding his hand. He raised it, closely observing the metalwork. He clenched it, wanting to hold onto the warmth for as long as he could.

Keith walked up behind and placed a hand on his shoulder. “It’s good to have you back.”

Shiro looked back at Keith. “Yeah, it’s good to be back.”

Keith looked worriedly at Shiro. “So what happened out there? Where were you?”

Shiro sighed. “I wish I could tell you. My head’s still pretty scrambled. I was on a… alien ship. Somehow I escaped. It’s all a blur.” Shiro turned to Keith. “How did you know to come save me when I crashed?”

“You should come see this.” 

Shiro looked at Keith quizzically before following him into the shack. He couldn’t shake the feeling that his adventure was far from over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are! It's the end! I hope everyone enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing this. Be on the lookout for the next part of this story, where we actually dig into a lengthy adventure. To be posted... at... some... time...? One day. But either way, this story is technically the prequel to that one. Anyway! Hope you enjoyed!
> 
> This piece is part of the Shiro Big Bang. The Shiro Big Bang can be found at [the Big Bang's AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/tags/Shiro%20Big%20Bang%202017/works) and at [the Big Bang's Tumblr](http://voltronbigbang.tumblr.com/).
> 
> [Artwork for T-Minus](https://xblackpaladin.tumblr.com/post/167081284055/t-minus-fanfic-by-dakurairakku-for) was done by the amazing [Arka](https://xblackpaladin.tumblr.com/). Thank you so much for your lovely work!

**Author's Note:**

> Yay! It's finally here! I've been working on this for several months now, and I'm super excited to be able to finally post! Since this fic has multiple chapters, I'll be posting every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday throughout November. Hope y'all enjoy!
> 
> This piece is part of the Shiro Big Bang. The Shiro Big Bang can be found at [the Big Bang's AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/tags/Shiro%20Big%20Bang%202017/works) and at [the Big Bang's Tumblr](http://voltronbigbang.tumblr.com/).
> 
> [Artwork for T-Minus](https://xblackpaladin.tumblr.com/post/167081284055/t-minus-fanfic-by-dakurairakku-for) was done by the amazing [Arka](https://xblackpaladin.tumblr.com/). Thank you so much for your lovely work!


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